


Ceremonial Purposes

by Nabielka



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: F/M, Marriage of Convenience, Politics, Pre-Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25321543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nabielka/pseuds/Nabielka
Summary: Caspian is sailing off to find the Seven Lords. He must leave behind a Regent.
Relationships: Caspian/Prunaprismia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7
Collections: Little Black Dress Exchange 2020





	Ceremonial Purposes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lucymonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucymonster/gifts).



“You will recall, my Lord, my coronation oath,” said Caspian, with some exasperation. How much of it was directed towards Lord Mavtesian and how much at himself for having thought the issue quite settled the previous day, he could not quite say.

If Lord Mavtesian noted the edge in Caspian’s tone, he gave no sign of it. He had served under Miraz, whose discontentment had wrought worse consequences than those within Caspian’s power. It was correcting one such consequence that they were discussing now, though admittedly the seven friends of his father’s had, due to their rank, been dealt with less severely than many, or so Caspian recalled from Doctor Cornelius’ tale. 

Thus unperturbed, he replied, “Your Majesty, I recall chiefly your oath to govern and rule this kingdom.”

“I propose only to sail for a year,” said Caspian, “Why, the northern battles took all last summer, and all of the surrounding seasons too. It is not so long a time to be gone from the castle.” What a success that had been too, and not only for the giants’ promised tribute, but in consolidating the armies as a fighting unit. There was nothing like a battle to forge unity – he remembered that from his own experience with the Narnians. 

At this, Mavtesian’s argument was succoured by General Glozelle. Indeed, Caspian’s heart fell at the fixed expression on his face. He was a resolute man, who had served him well since the fall of Miraz. If Caspian cared to think of the days before that time, before Doctor Cornelius had woken him in the night, he would have to concede that the General had acted kindly and honourably towards him even in his youth. 

“At that time Your Majesty’s advisors was able to reach us in a day or two. If Your Majesty takes to the open seas, there is no saying that any messenger would find the ship in weeks, were we even to dispatch the fastest and strongest Bird in the land.” 

“Certainly,” said Caspian, seizing upon this thread. “I will appoint a Regent to act in my name during my absence.” He had warmed to the idea at once. “Trumpkin will be just the man – I mean Dwarf. An excellent person.”

A look passed between Glozelle and Mavtesian. 

“Certainly a most capable Being,” said Lord Mavtesian. “But Your Majesty will consider – it will look ill, as though the Talking Beasts had seized all the Government.”

“He should certainly be on the Council,” said General Glozelle. “But to govern alone… If only Your Majesty had more kin!” 

That was hardly Caspian’s fault. “If only my uncle had not turned usurper, you mean?”

“Your Majesty has a cousin still,” said Mavtesian. “Oh, if he were not too full young to fulfil even ceremonial duties – why, Trumpkin could take care of all the rest,” he inclined his head in a bow, “in full accordance with Your Majesty’s wishes. But even the Kings of Old – the High King who fought for Your Majesty’s throne – never left such Regents, though the Narnia of their time was much overflowing with them.” If he had known it, he would have talked of Aslan’s judgement about Sons of Adam, but he had never heard it, and in any case, would not have understood. 

“The peace and success of the last years owe much to co-operation between ourselves and the Dwarves, the Talking Beasts. If we are talking of so long an absence, the balance should be maintained as strictly as possible,” said Glozelle. “Your Majesty’s aunt may not have royal blood, but she has overseen the court for many years.”

“If only Your Majesty had a Queen,” said Lord Mavtesian in the same breath. As his response had been so precipitous, this had the effect of leaving a gap in the conversation. Caspian addressed himself to Glozelle’s words first. 

Since his coronation, Caspian’s relations with his aunt had remained cordial, if not warm. In this, they continued as they had been before events had taken Caspian to the forest. As a child, she had had little to do with him; he had thought that she disliked him and this in turn had made him rather dislike her. With the passage of years, the helpless sting this had once brought had faded and what remained stronger in his mind was the impression of her in bed that night; she had not wanted to shoot him, though she could have secured Narnia for her husband and her son forever. 

“Would she not be too closely associated with my uncle?” he asked. “If we are to speak of maintaining the balance and preventing either side from being overcome, it must be the case that the Old Narnians would feel most threatened by the suggestion of a return to the policies of his reign.” As he spoke, he acknowledged to himself that Prunaprismia had the reputation of being a competent administrator and that his uncle had often relied on her. 

“She could be more closely associated with Your Majesty,” said Lord Mavtesian softly. “Why, nobody could deny that Queen – that is, the Lady Prunaprismia, but Your Majesty will understand, I speak of the future – would be a fit and proper person for such a role.”

Caspian could but stare at him. “My aunt?” he said. 

“I speak of a ceremonial marriage,” said Lord Mavtesian quickly. “Upon Your Majesty’s return, it might be set aside as having served its purpose.”

Glozelle said, “She could in such capacity serve as official Regent. In full co-operation with Your Majesty’s council, of course, but likewise as a member of the dynasty, as representing Your Majesty.”

“I will consider it,” said Caspian faintly, and made his escape. 

*

He did not really mean to do so, but he found that the idea, once planted, did not fail to spout in his mind. When that night he was seated on the high dais and lutes were played as the feast was served for the court, she was, according to custom, seated nearest to him. He could not know whether she knew anything of the idea – he had the impression she and Glozelle were friends of a sort, or at least that Glozelle often stopped by to pay her son the interest Miraz had paid to Caspian in his childhood – but she had chosen this night not to dine in her rooms. 

She sat very straight. She had always had such posture – as a child she had told him not to slouch – but on this night there was something in the line of her figure that drew his eye, or perhaps it was the way her hair curled at her shoulders and upset the symmetry. His gaze kept returning. 

She said something to him, he made some reply. Some skin showed beneath the ruffle of her sleeve as she reached for her goblet. 

He felt – he could not say. But the suggestion remained in his mind. 


End file.
